SNKtalia- The Hetalian Soldiers
by dorizard
Summary: After the loss of Wall Maria, a new squad of trainees are soon faced with the hardest challenges and decisions of all as they are forced to struggle against the Titan's terror. For some it's a repeat of past turmoil, for others it's a new kind of devastation, and for some it will be the last battle they fight. SNK au, human names used, rated T for future violence and blood etc.
1. Trainee Days

**Chapter 1: Trainee days**

"Hurry up, Feliciano!"

Ludwig's booming voice alone was enough to startle the Italian's legs to quicken their pace and match Ludwig's, but the two trainees were still at a considerable distance behind the others.

Their group of trainees had set out on a gruelling physical activity- soldiering through the cascading rain to get to the other side of the woods, laden with their provisions. The lack of rests had taken it's toll on Feliciano, who generally had a much lower stamina than the others.

"But Ludwig...I'm so...tired...and it's raining!" panted Feliciano.

"If you have enough breath to talk you have enough to keep moving!" was the German's rather unsympathetic reply.

Pulling his hood further down his head, Feliciano focused on running without stumbling over his own feet, which became easier as he suddenly felt the weight of his backpack being lightened and then removed entirely. Looking up, he saw Ludwig running on ahead carrying both their loads, glancing back at him to say,

"I'm only doing this until you recover your breath and we catch up with the others! Now get moving!"

_Ludwig Beilschmidt. He possesses great physical and mental strength, and is highly disciplined in close combat. Though he can be quite impatient and irritable with his teammates, he can be relied on to keep everyone and everything together and on track._

A warm feeling of gratefulness welled up inside Feliciano, giving him the extra motivation needed to push on.

"You'll be running extra laps once we get back because of this!"

The gratefulness evaporated. Still, the exhausted Italian kept moving, with the dim prospect of having time for pasta once they returned in his mind.

_Feliciano Vargas. He is very skilled at finding a way around or avoiding obstacles, and has excellent reflexes, though they are often triggered too easily. Tends to shy away from challenging situations and relies too much on others. With the right motivation, he can be persuaded to accelerate his generally low physical ability._

* * *

Hopeful rays of light penetrated the forest canopy as the sun peeked out from behind clouds, promising better weather than the day before. At this time of day the forest was relatively quiet save for the melodic tweeting of a bird or the rustle of leaves. However, this peaceful soundscape was suddenly disturbed by the sound of metal wires launching out of their gears as two figures advanced through the forest by swiftly maneuvering from tree to tree.

"That hit was more precise, but still not deep enough! Put more force into it next time!" Ludwig had somehow become Feliciano's mentor as they practiced slicing the necks of the wooden titan figures dispersed throughout the forest, observing his progress and giving him tips for improvement whenever their instructor couldn't. Feliciano was happy to spend time with Ludwig like this, even though he was just as, if not more strict than their instructor.

Another wooden figure came into view to the side as the two glided between the trees, looking for the next target. As soon as he spotted it, Ludwig veered in its direction and readied his blades as he drew closer.

"Watch me do it this time, and see if you can do the same!"

Feliciano watched as Ludwig propelled himself towards the makeshift titan, adjusting the angle of his body once he was within a few metres radius from the neck.

_Slash!_

A chunk of the titan's neck was sliced clean off, but not by Ludwig's blades. His eyes widened in surprise as he flew right over the figure, then anchored himself onto a tree and stood on one of the branches, looking up in bewilderment at the owner of the blades that had slain his target with such speed and precision.

"A-ah! Ludwig-san!" came an apologetic call as a rather short, black-haired trainee landed next to him. "I am sorry if that was your target, I just saw my chance and took it!"

_Honda Kiku. His use of the 3D maneuver gear, especially its blades, is at lightning speed, though his endurance is not very high. He is very adaptable and can work with all sorts of people, but sometimes refrains from voicing his opinion and follows others' decisions._

"Uh, no it's okay, Kiku." Ludwig was quite taken aback both by Kiku's skill and need to apologise, but managed to reply. "Acting like that could save our lives if we're confronted with real titans- it's a good thing."

Before Kiku could respond, Feliciano's joyful call alerted them of his arrival. "Kikuuu~! That was so cool! You managed to cut the neck before Ludwig even realised you were there! How did you do it?"

"O-oh, I'm sure it's nothing you can't do, Feliciano. Besides, Ludwig-san would have done it just as well if I hadn't interrupted."

"Thanks..." replied Ludwig, suddenly uncomfortably aware of the fact that he had been trying to mentor Feliciano when he still had a lot to learn. "I think we should get-"

The noise of a 3D-maneuver gear cut him off, which was quickly accompanied by a loud yell as a fourth trainee crashed through the trees and landed on a tree opposite the trio, facing them with boastful, pink-red eyes.

"Oi, Lud! This isn't a time for hanging around! The awesome me will have killed all the titans before you guys stop talking!"

"Mein Gott, Gilbert, titan-slaying isn't a competition or a game." sighed Ludwig. "Focus on your precision and success!"

"I'm already successful, Lutz! I've sliced up every titan dummy I've seen!"

_Gilbert Beilschmidt. Like his younger brother Ludwig, Gilbert's physical strength is high, and his use of the 3D maneuver gear is exceptional. However, he can be overly confident in his abilities as an individual, and face challenges without consulting others._

"Ve~ you sound so sure of yourself, Gilbert!"

"'Cos it's true, and I'll show you! Try to keep up, losers!"

At this, the albino shot off and zoomed towards the closest target, which they could just make out between the trees.

"Just don't run out of gas," Ludwig called after him. "I don't want to have to carry you back!"

"Pfft! As if!" snorted Gilbert as he streaked through the trees. "I'll show them how awesome my titan-killing skills are!"

"Surpriiiise!~" A glimpse of blonde hair flashed past as Gilbert's loud thoughts were interrupted.

"Francis!" he yelled as an all-too-familiar trainee raced ahead of him. "Get out of the way, _I'm_ killing that titan!"

"Not if I get there first!~" called Francis playfully.

"Oh no you _don't_!"

Gritting his teeth, Gilbert accelerated with his 3D maneuver gear to try and overtake the trainee infront of him, but Francis was too fast.

_Francis Bonnefoy. His performance while using the maneuver gear is smooth and efficient, with great balance, but his proud and stubborn nature can cause problems in communication between team members._

"Damn it!" he hissed under his breath as the blonde-haired trainee began to close in on the target, throwing an amused glance back at Gilbert.

"Get out the way!" Francis' head snapped back too stare in shock as another trainee exploded out of the trees, yelling at him. It was clear that they were set for a collision course, but Francis didn't have enough time to change his direction.

A deafening screech burst through Gilbert's ear drums as the two trainees crashed into each other. This was immediately followed by constant bickering as they writhed and squirmed to get themselves untangled from each other's 3dmg wires.

"Why didn't you move out the way, you twat!"

"Why were you charging straight into me?!"

"I couldn't see you through the trees! I only heard your stupid voice at the last minute!"

"Well that's hardly my fault is it, caterpillar-brows?"

"Shut up, frog face!"

_Arthur Kirkland. He is good at acknowledging and pointing out the possible risks and flaws in plans, but can sometimes lose his nerve in pressuring situations. His short-tempered nature can also cause problems in group cooperation._

"Hey Francis, Arthur! Have fun hanging around!" called Gilbert with a smirk as he zoomed past them. _Now I've got that titan all to myse-_

His goal was once again taken from him as yet another trainee appeared from the trees on the other side of the titan dummy and carried out the blow that would have been fatal to a real titan, green eyes shining with joy.

_Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. An optimist, he is a source of motivation for the team- he knows how to keep everyone going. Surprisingly, he is very good at maintaining a level head in times of crisis. Great control of the 3D maneuver gear. _

"Damn it!" hissed Gilbert as he recognised the grinning Antonio.

"Better luck next time eh, amigo?" called the Spaniard, still wearing his cheerful smile.

"Damn you all, I am more awesome than you!"

"Except not awesome enough to get there first, ah?"

"Whatever, I've taken down more titans than you anyway."

"Whatever you say, Gil. We should head back, the forest ends over there and there aren't any more titans as far as I know. Besides, I think we've been graded by now."

"Ok then, looks like you'll be seeing me in the top ten soon!"

* * *

"Aaah!" A heavy thud sounded through the training grounds as Matthew Williams fell to the ground. "Be a bit more gentle, Alfred!"

"Bro what do you mean by gentle?" snorted Alfred as he hauled his brother back onto his feet. "This is close combat training dude, you shouldn't take it easy on your opponent!"

_Alfred F. Jones. He possesses incredible physical strength, and is skilled in close combat. He has a great sense of purpose and determination, but this can lead him to be too confident about situations and rush in without much planning or thought about the consequences._

"But this is just training! I can't become a soldier if I break something because of you being too rough!"

"Dude, why are you so weak?"

"I am _not_ weak!" Matthew's voice, which was usually close to a whisper, rose in defiance. "Don't you remember who kicked your ass in hockey the other day?"

"I _totally_ let you do that, I thought I'd let you win for once. I could never drag my ass around as much as you!"

"It's still much better than being the reckless fathead you are!"

_Matthew Williams. He is good at solving problems and finding solutions to any challenges or obstacles that may block their path, but often has trouble making himself heard. He has a lot of potential, which will hopefully be released from the shadows in crucial moments._

"You're such a boring stick in the mud, dude. It was much more interesting when I was fighting Ivan the other day. I beat him every time, of course!"

At this Alfred proudly puffed out his chest as if he had just defeated the Russian once again.

"Oh?" Ivan, who was training nearby with the constantly trembling Raivis, raised his head at the mention of his name. A somehow intimidating smile crept onto his face as he noticed Alfred. "Ah, it really was quite enjoyable wasn't it? Though what I remember is your face turning blue as I strangled you with my scarf~"

_Ivan Braginsky. He is very strong physically, and very tough- able to maintain high performance in difficult conditions. However, he lacks speed and the ability to make sharp turns._

"That was _not _cool! Besides, using your creepy scarf trick isn't what we were taught. You've gotta take things seriously if you want to become a soldier."

"That's rich coming from you, Alfred. Besides, what's the point? I might as well have some fun; most of us are aiming for the Military Police anyway. Weren't you?"

For a moment it looked like Alfred was about to snap a retort at Ivan, but stopped himself.

"Right." he muttered, before shouldering past Ivan while avoiding eye contact with him and Matthew.

"H-hey, Alfred! Wait!" called Matthew. Ivan and Alfred weren't exactly on good terms, and it wasn't like his brother to let Ivan have the last word. But before he could catch up to him, their instructor Sadik Adnan's voice boomed over them.

"Attention all trainees! Close combat training session has ended. You squirts better make the most of your break because I'm expecting you back here at 15:00 for some target practice. Dismissed!"

"You're such an obnoxious loud-mouth, Sadik. I'm trying to have a rest here!" came the irritated voice of Sadik's companion- Heracles- who had just been woken up from a doze on the bench outside the trainee's cabin.

As the training ground began to empty, Matthew caught up to Alfred.

"Al, why are you-"

Unexpectedly, his brother turned round to face him, with his face lit up by his usual beaming smile again.

"Come on, Matt! If we hurry we can get the best food before everyone else!"

"W-what? Oh, right..." replied Matthew.

"Race ya there!" laughed Alfred as he sped up towards the kitchen, leaving Matthew a bit dazed before he

shook himself and chased after.

"You're such a child, Alfred..." he huffed, shaking off his brother's sudden change in behaviour.

_Whatever it was that had made him act like, it can't have been important. I should focus on my training for now._

* * *

**[A/N]**

**_Sorry nothing much happens in the first chapter but things pick up soon, I promise ;v;_**

**_Stay tuned, I guess. There'll be many more characters to be introduced!_**


	2. Decisions

_**[A/N] Thank you for the review/fav/follows ;v; I hope you continue to like this story ^^**_

_**This**_** chapte****r**_** may seem a bit random and introductory at the beginning but there is a point to it I promise o3o**_

* * *

"This food sucks, aru." complained Yao, prodding the mush they had been given for dinner.

"Yeah... we haven't been given pasta in ages and I've used mine all up..."

"You had pasta the other day Feliciano," sighed Ludwig. "I'm sure you can survive a couple of days without it..."

"Screw all this, I'm cooking my own food again!" announced Yao, standing up and marching out of the dining hall to get his cooking ingredients.

_Yao Wang. He is very agile and can make quick, sharp turns when using the 3D maneuver gear. He also has a unique way of fighting when it comes to close combat._

"I'll never understand how he always has so much." wondered Ludwig, referring to the large amounts of food Yao always seemed to have stored away in his room.

"Eating good food is very important, da-ze!" called Yao and Kiku's relative- Yong Soo- from across the table. "That's why we get a lot sent from home!"

"I'm glad my family sends food over, I've now got plenty of the best tomatoes!" beamed Antonio, turning to Feliciano's grumpy brother beside him. "Isn't that great, Lovi?"

"Shut up, tomato bastard! And don't call me Lovi!"

"You don't have to be so rude, fratello..." murmured Feliciano. "You eat a lot of those tomatoes, don't you?"

"And what if I do? It's much better than eating damn potatoes all the time like _him_!" At this the rather rude Italian motioned towards Ludwig with a look of disgust on his face.

_Lovino Vargas. He has more talent than he lets on, but rarely feels the need to push himself and/ or go the extra mile. His prickly and uncooperative attitude can cause friction between teammates at crucial moments._

The dining hall doors swung open as Yao hobbled in, struggling to keep all the cooking ingredients he had piled in his arms from falling to the floor.

"Can someone give me a hand, aru? I think I'll drop all this any minute..."

"Here, give me that." Arthur stood up and took some of the ingredients from Yao. "I'll help you with the cooking too if you want."

"NO!" Shrill cries of objection filled the room at Arthur's offer.

"Please, let me help Yao." said Kiku as he hurriedly took the ingredients from Arthur's hands and set them on the kitchen table. "You're very tired from training today."

"What? No, I'm fine!" insisted Arthur with a puzzled face.

"What about me?" came Ivan's voice as he stood up from his seat. "I want to help Yao~"

"What?! No, go away!" shouted Yao, with a hint of fear of the Russian in his voice.

"I'd be careful if I were you Ivan- Natalia is just outside and coming this way!" called Alfred, pointing to the window.

An unusual expression of panic spread across Ivan's face as he dashed to the window to see his younger sister striding towards the dining hall doors.

"She's back from her duties already?!" he cried, before he quickly drew the curtains and raced towards the back door."Tell her I got called out to sort supplies in the storage!" he called as he disappeared from the hall, heading for the dormitories. His escape caused the room to fill with laughter.

"Here, I'll help Kiku and Yao as well!" urged Feliciano as the laughter died down. "Look, now there are three cooks, you don't need to help!"

"What's going on with you people?" demanded Arthur as he was rushed away from the kitchen area.

"They just don't want to get poisoned from your food again, dude." answered Alfred.

"Excuse me?!" yelled Arthur, turning to face Alfred. "I cook very well, thank you very much!"

"Yeah, you cook very well if you're trying to be a serial killer!" jeered Francis from across the room.

"Shut up!"

"Guys, guys!" called Gilbert. "Calm down, I can't stand your stupid bickering! I'm trying to explain how awesome I was in training to Antonio here."

"Awesome? Today?" sniggered Francis. "Elizaveta was practically dragging you on the ground in close combat training!"

"That's not true! I was just going easy on her!"

"Easy?" scoffed Elizaveta as she came into the room. "Give me your all tomorrow evening and we'll see you on the floor again!"

"Hmph! Graduation day is soon, then we'll see who's in the top ten! Besides, that's just close combat training. I don't try my best in that because it's pretty much pointless. All I'm working for is to get to the MP!"

"Don't you think that's strange?" questioned Alfred, causing a few heads to turn and look up at him. "Hardly any of us actually want to be soldiers; this whole thing is just a method of getting away from the titans, not trying to fight them!"

"Who would be dumb enough to try and fight against the titans?" replied Lovino.

"He's right." agreed Gilbert. "It's a hopeless cause- our best bet is to get to the inner walls and hope to live out our lives before they come again."

"But that's just selfish, don't you think? Shouldn't we focus on protecting the whole of humanity, not just ourselves? I mean, it all sounds a bit shameful to me. Some have died on this training program to make it easier for some of us to go and live cosy lives in wall Sina. Isn't that the opposite of what soldiers are?"

"You have a point." remarked Francis. "But there's just no point in living an illusion where what you choose is going to make any difference. The titans are stronger than us, so only the strong and the lucky can survive. All we can do is hope we're in one of those groups."

"Stop acting like a hero, Alfred." said Arthur, who until now had stood listening in silence, watching Alfred through narrowed eyes. "There's no point in pretending- you know the bitter truth. You're here for the same reason most of us are here- to save your own life."

"Yeah, I guess I am..." muttered Alfred, as he got up and wordlessly left the hall, feeling Arthur's gaze burning into him as he went. Once he was outside, he leaned against the wall with a heavy sigh.

"Al?"

With a jolt at the sudden voice, Alfred turned to see Matthew standing next to him, watching him with worried eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." muttered Alfred .

"Are you sure? Is something bothering you?"

"No, everything's fine!"

At this, Matthew crossed his arms and raised his brow at Alfred. "You must think I'm _really_ stupid if you think I believe you."

"Hah...you're right." a slight chuckle escaped Alfred's mouth. "You see right through me, Matt."

"...Well?"

Letting out another sigh, Alfred turned to face his brother, with an unusual seriousness in his eyes.

"I'm not going to the Military Police." he declared.

Confused, Matthew tilted his head. "Well, how do you know? I'm pretty sure you can make it to the top ten..."

"No, you don't get it. I'm not planning to join the MP." a firmer tone brimmed Alfred's voice. "Even if I get into the top ten, that's not where I want to go. And neither is the Stationary Guard."

"W-what?" stammered Matthew as he realised what his brother meant. "You can't surely mean you want to join the Survey Corps?!"

"Well...yeah..."

"That's insane!" cried Matthew, grabbing Alfred by the shoulders. "Why would you want to throw your life away like that? Don't you realise that once you join the Survey Corps, you'll probably never come back!"

"Yes, yes! I get it!" huffed Alfred impatiently. "I know all that, but I'm willing to take the risk!"

"Why? Is this another one of your attempts at being the hero? I thought we all came here to get a better and safer life!"

"_You_ did, and Arthur and Francis. But I never wanted to join the Military Police in the first place..."

"What...what made you want to join the Survey Corps?"

For a moment Alfred hesitated to respond, but then answered. "Do you remember Davie?"

"Davie?" echoed Matthew thoughtfully, with images of Alfred's bright and friendly childhood friend emerging from his memories. "Of course, but what does he have to do with it?"

"He was always so interested about life before the titans, remember? About what it was like outside the walls..."

"Yeah... his dad was in the Survey Corps, right?"

"Yeah. One day he came up to me looking all excited and carrying this big, old book..."

* * *

"_Al! Al!" The young Alfred started at the sound of his friend excitedly calling his name._

"_What is it?" he questioned as Davie sat down beside him. "What's that big book? Surely you're not going to read it all, does it have pictures?"_

"_Yes, lots of pictures! Pictures of the outside world!" beamed Davie, shoving the book into Alfred's vision._

"_Really?"_

"_Yeah, it's a whole book on all the cool stuff behind the walls! But this is our secret, grandpa says we shouldn't tell anyone!"_

"_Oh, right. Lemme see!"_

_They spent the rest of the afternoon looking in awe at the illustrations in the book; reading about the large expanses of salt water of which you couldn't see the end, the mountains of sand, the lands eternally trapped in ice, the strange and diverse animals and plants that lived in these places, and so much more._

"_It all sounds so amazing..." breathed Davie, as they both tore their eyes away from the book to look up at the darkening sky. "I'd love to see it some day..."_

"_Yeah, me too." sighed Alfred, knowing that simply seeing pictures and reading about the beauties outside of the walls could never be enough for either of them. "I'm tired of these stupid walls. You know what? We could join the military like your dad! Then we can be heroes and beat up those stupid titans and explore beyond the walls! We'll see everything from these pictures for real!"_

"_Haha, it's not that easy, silly!" chuckled Davie before his gaze floated to the top of the towering wall, as if imagining himself standing on top of it and looking out to the barrier-less world on the other side."Hm... a life without walls and titans... imagine that? Maybe we'll get to see it... some day..."_

* * *

Silence blanketed the two trainees leaning on the banisters of the stairs outside the dining hall as Alfred stopped verbalising his memory.

"Did... did you ever find out why and where he moved away?" asked Matthew softly, chipping away at the silence.

"Huh?" Alfred glanced at Matthew distractedly at the sudden question. "No... I don't think he knew either when he told me; just that his dad had sent them a message that they had to leave the town."

"I see." muttered Matthew before standing up straight and fixing a gaze of determination on his brother. "You leave me no choice, Alfred. I'm joining the Survey Corps with you."

"What?" It was Alfred's turn to protest. "No, this is why I didn't want to tell you! I'll do anything it takes to help humanity regain what it's lost but I'm not losing you because of my decision!"

"Bro...chill." smiled Matthew, purposefully using a phrase Alfred used often. "It's obvious nothing's gonna stop you from running headfirst into danger like you always insist on doing, and trust me you'll need me to keep you from getting eaten on the first day."

"Ugh..." moaned Alfred as his head fell into his hands. "You're so annoying when you say things like that. Arthur's gonna have my head for bringing you into this..."

"And _that's_ another thing. You can't keep lying to him, Alfred. The sooner you tell him your plans the more limbs he'll let you get away with."

"Haha, very funny and encouraging, dude... but thanks for hearing me out, Matt."

"No problem, Al." replied Matthew before letting out an enormous yawn. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to bed. The others should be coming out of the hall soon anyway."

"Yeah, I'm coming too." said Alfred as he followed his brother to the dormitories."Maybe I can pretend to be Natalia and scare Ivan before the others get there!"

* * *

_**[A/N] More about Davie's involvement in the story and what happened will be explained in later chapters. We'll be hearing of the titans fairly soon I'm afraid...XD**_


	3. Freedom, Justice, Protection

**[A/N] I'm so sorry for the wait! I'm terribly slow ;v;**

**First of all, I mean no disrespect to history in having a Joan in this story- she's really just a character inspired by the relationship between France and Hetalia's Joan (romantic or not is up to you).**

**Some human names worth noting:**

_**Natalya Braginskaya- I know Belarus's human surname is ****Arlovskaya, but I don't want too many siblings with different surnames in this story so I used the female version of Braginsky.**_

_**Ralph- Australia. I had no clue what name suits him best so I just chose the first of Himaruya's potential names listed ;v;**_

_**Mathias- (Denmark) Yes yes it's a fanon name but I really didn't know which of Himaruya's possible names to choose so I'm using the well-known Mathias.**_

_**Lili- Same as Mathias.**_

**Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter ^^**

* * *

A gentle chatter rose up as the residents of Trost bustled around in the marketplace. Among them was Francis Bonnefoy, and a young short- haired girl by the name of Joan.

"So, you finished training earlier today?" she asked, glancing at the various goods being sold.

"Oui, but we've been training even harder lately because of graduation coming up." replied Francis. "Just look at the state of my hair!"

"Oh _no_, what a tragedy!" giggled Joan, ruffling his hair up even more. "Do you think you'll make it to the top ten?"

"Well, Mr. Adnan likes to say there's no way any of us deserve to reach that, but I've seen him brag to Heracles about how well he's trained us; I think he's just trying to stress us into continuing to work extra hard!"

"It must be exciting; you'll be a true soldier soon! I'm sure you'll end up at the top of the class somewhere... maybe even first place?"

"I'm not sure about that... but at any rate I'll be much better than that bed- headed caterpillar brows!" At this Joan shook her head disapprovingly, but with an amused smile all the same.

"So..." she mused. "Military Police, huh. The afternoons would be quite dull if you go."

"So you'll miss me, mon ami? Of course, who wouldn't want such a good-looking guy to keep them company!" joked Francis, before his expression hardened into a more thoughtful, serious gaze. "At any rate, whatever I choose will mean I won't be around here much if at all. But this isn't goodbye. I promise, that if I get into the MP, I'll find a way for you to get to the interior too."

For a moment, his companion had sunk into silence as if unwanted memories were being recalled. Concerned, Francis rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder until she spoke again.

"... I've lost my family to the titans in the failed mission to take back Wall Maria..." she murmured at last. "I don't even have a proper home- I have nothing left. I'd love to leave those memories behind."

* * *

Clutching a folder which contained a batch of papers, Basch Zwingli made his way through the dull-coloured corridors of the military records building, searching for his colleague. _That fool's wasting his time playing the piano again_... he thought grumpily, as he followed the music which sounded from further down the hallway. Yet, as he peered into the room from which the music was playing, he couldn't help but feel a bit mesmerised as he listened to the piano notes played by Roderich Edelstein flowing together to form a rather calming tune. It was as if all the troubles and worries that had arisen since the fall of Wall Maria were being blotted out by the melody.

"How long have you been standing there?" asked Roderich, his fingers laying still on the piano keys as he finally looked up to see the rather startled Basch. "Sit down and enjoy the music."

For a moment the idea of indulging himself in that blissful tranquillity again seemed tempting to the stern- faced records worker, but a reminder of work that had to be done crept into his mind, causing him to refuse.

"I didn't come here to listen to you not doing work!" with this Basch strode into the room, handing the folder he was carrying to Roderich. "Here's the report I want you to send off to commander-in-chief Zackley."

"Hm..." frowned the Austrian as he adjusted his glasses and scanned through the papers. "The Survey Corps are going out of the walls this week?"

"Yeah, it's just a short practice expedition though."

With a sigh, Roderich put the papers back into their folder and placed it on top of the piano. "There'll still be a considerable number of names in the list of casualties we'll have to sort out... did you get those military division choice forms printed?"

"Yes, we're all ready for signing in new recruits after their graduation tomorrow." replied Basch, then whipped round as a new voice sounded from behind him.

"Big brother?" It was Lili Zwingli- Bash's younger sister- who was timidly peering into the room, holding a small basket containing some food.

"Lili! What are you doing here?"

"You were in such a rush this morning that you forgot your lunch... I just wanted to make sure you had something to eat!"

"You didn't have to..." uttered Basch, taking the basket. "But thanks."

"You take care of me, so I take of you!" beamed Lili, then turned to leave the room. "I'm going to the market, see you later big brother! Goodbye, Mr. Edelstein!"

"Goodbye, Miss Zwingli." nodded Roderich politely, as the young girl disappeared into the corridor. "You have a lovely sister, Basch."

"Yeah..." agreed Basch quietly as he turned away to look at the basket he now held. "Yeah, I do..."

* * *

"Alright, ya bunch of potato sacks!" bellowed Sadik Adnan as he stood before the many young faces he had become so familiar with the past two years. "Today's the day you're officially no longer trainees! But don't get too big for ya britches, 'cause you've still got a lot to learn, no matter what division you choose. Leading on from that, the following people will have the choice of joining the Military Police..."

Not a single exhalation could be heard as Sadik began to list those who got into the top ten.

"In first place is Kiku Honda, second- Natalya Braginskaya, third- Ludwig Beilschmidt, fourth- Elizabeta Héderváry, fifth- Gilbert Beilschmidt, sixth- Arthur Kirkland, seventh- Francis Bonnefoy, eighth- Alfred F. Jones, ninth- Ivan Braginsky and tenth- Yao Wang."

Scanning the crowd of faces, Sadik noticed Arthur elbowing the disbelieving Francis in the ribs with a triumphant grin, which was quickly wiped off his face with their instructor's next remark.

"Don't flatter yourself, Kirkland. You and Bonnefoy had the exact same score and are just as bad as each other. We ended up flipping a coin to see who'd get what place."

Some muffled laughter from other trainees followed, before Sadik's booming voice drowned them out.

"As you know, you'll be choosing your divisions in two days: the Stationary Guard- focused on maintaining the walls and making sure no titans break through, the Survey Corps- who battle and obtain information about the titans in their own territory, or, for the precious few, the Military Police- who serve the king and keep order and peace behind the inner walls."

He paused, to let a rare, proud smile stretch across face. "You've come far from the scared, little brats I came across two years ago. I know you'll do good."

* * *

"Wow, can you believe it?" beamed Feliciano, bounding through the courtyard where they had been announced to no longer be trainees the previous evening. "We're proper soldiers now!"

"Well, hardly." nodded Ludwig. "We haven't even joined a military division yet, let alone start our duties."

"But we will soon!" grinned the light- hearted trainee, before a certain thought shadowed over his smile as he dejectedly cast his gaze down. "Perhaps even too soon... it won't be the same without you guys..."

"Feliciano..."

"I'm really gonna miss our days as trainees... I don't want you to go..." With this, Feliciano hugged the stern- faced German, who sighed with an air of regret in his eyes.

"I, too, will miss our time together." agreed Kiku, bowing his head.

"B-but, I don't want to sound pathetic!" stammered Feliciano, as he pulled away from Ludwig. "I'll be fine in the Stationary Corps, with Romano. He may seem very grumpy and is a bit of a jerk but he takes care of me! Meanwhile you'll be the best Military Police soldiers there!"

"Actually..."murmured Kiku. "I'm not so sure about that..."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been thinking about what Alfred-san said last night..."

* * *

_Elated cheers and the clanging of glasses rang through the air as many trainees rejoiced in the hall over their graduation that evening. In particular, Gilbert, Mathias, Ralph and others were making the most noise- their bellows of laughter could probably be heard from outside the dining hall, and Gilbert certainly seemed to have gotten over the blow of being lower than Elizabeta and Ludwig in the top ten. Surprisingly, Alfred stood quietly leaning against the wall, not taking part in the jubilations or boasting about his high rank._

"_Hey, Alfred!" called Ralph- an athletic and pretty loud adventure lover, who was known for trying to sneak all sorts of critters into the training grounds. "Why don't ya come over here? I guess you'll want to celebrate your top ranking!"_

"_No thanks, man..." declined Alfred, with a shake of his head."The top ranking only means something to people who're joining the military police."_

_At this, the group quietened down and stared at him in confusion. _

"_Aren't you?" asked Gilbert, quizzically cocking his head._

"_...No. You can go play cards in the interior, but I'd rather make myself of some use."_

"_I'm guessing you don't mean the Stationary Guard..."_

_By now, a silence hung over the entire room after the chatter from the main group of noise- makers deadened; expressions of shock or curiosity patterned the faces that had all turned to look at the usually obnoxiously cheerful but now dead serious trainee._

"_B-but you're in the top ten!" spluttered Toris, who had built a friendly relationship with Alfred over the years. "You're going to throw away your chance at living well and safely at Sina?"_

"_Look, I know that most of us here just want better lives than the low ones we've been born into, but I'm here to keep up what the original values of the military are:" raising and firming his tone, Alfred stood up straight to scan over all the faces turned towards him. "Freedom, justice and the protection of mankind."_

_Almost before he finished listing off those ideals, an exaggerated laugh erupted from Ivan; he had been sitting nearby in an interested silence, but now with a tint of mockery glinting in his eyes._

"_Oh, comrade." he chuckled. "I knew you were filled with hopeless dreams the minute I laid eyes on you!"_

"_Hopeless?" snarled Alfred, subconsciously clenching his fists at Ivan's teasing tone. "Our fight against the titans will only be hopeless when we think that!"_

"_He's right." multiple gasps of surprise at this sudden agreement dotted the soundscape of the room as Matthew stood at the doorway."Do you really think the colossal titan will wait a few decades before smashing through Wall Rose, and then Sina?"_

"_We've learnt so much about the titans thanks to the Survey Corps." urged Alfred after giving a nod and smile of appreciation in his brother's direction. "If we don't help continue their work, it'll all go to waste, and none of you will have enough time to live out your lives behind the walls of the interior."_

"_So you're willing to give your life for that?" enquired Kiku, finally breaking his thoughtful silence to contribute to the discussion._

"_Believe it or not, this isn't about me. Man, I can't say I'm not scared of getting mauled on my first mission but if that contributes to humanity taking one step further..." Alfred's gaze of determination hardened as he paused briefly."...I'd do it a hundred times."_

* * *

"So... that means you're thinking about joining... the Survey Corps?" queried Ludwig,

"I'm not sure yet, I-"

"But you can't!" cried Feliciano, loud enough for a few heads to turn towards them. "I don't want you to!"

"Feliciano, relax-"

"No, you don't understand!" he wailed, overwhelming the others with waves of desperation and agony. "You can't beat the titans, it's hopeless and they're terrifying! You don't know what they're like!"

By now, the entire courtyard had turned its attention to Feliciano's outburst, with even Ludwig and Kiku staring at him. Gritting his teeth, Ludwig recalled that Feliciano often feared and cried about little things, but this was different. With a shudder, he realised that this outburst wasn't something easily fixed, but rather a hissing pot of haunting memories that had been buried deep within. A chilling silence settled as the Italian quaked with the effort of choking out his words between sobs.

"You don't know what it was like..."

* * *

**[A/N] What's Feliciano been hiding? We'll find out in the next chapter X3 **

**Sadly the next few chapters will probably also be posted at a rate of one per month, as I haven't fully worked out the plot and have other school and fandom stuff I want to work on :/ Stay tuned~**


	4. Feliciano's pain

**[A/N] ahaha so sorry for the wait, but here we go~ **

**HUMAN NAMES WORTH MENTIONING: Severin is Holy Rome, I had no idea what name to choose so I just picked the first fan name I saw ;v;**

* * *

"Hey bro, what's up?"

"Nothing," replied Matthew. "I just wanted to ask you something."

"Hm? Yeah?"

"We'll be signing up for our different divisions in two days, you're sure you're definitely going through with joining the Survey Corps?"

"Yeah, I told you." replied Alfred firmly. "Nothing's gonna change my mind."

"Alright, well you're gonna have to explain that to Arthur in a moment."

"What?"

"I overheard him talking with Kiku a few minutes ago- he knows about your plans."

"Aw, man... is he angry?"

"You think? He was nearly done with unloading food supplies so he'll be looking for you in a few minutes. I _told _you your _inspirational speech _last night would reach his ears soon."

"Relax, dude, I've got this. I wasn't planning on hiding it any longer anyway." Suddenly he noticed how his brother didn't seem to be listening, with his gaze cast down to the ground. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing... it's just... it seems like such a waste- you going to the Survey Corps." murmured Matthew. "You're one of the best! You got the chance to choose anything, something so many other trainees wanted so badly but didn't get. Even when you don't want to be you're better than me... I'm hopeless."

"Woah... are you even hearing yourself? I like it better when you're trying to put _me_ down!" exclaimed Alfred, surprised at Matthew's sudden drop in self-confidence. "Matt, the ranking doesn't matter." he continued, gentler than before. "I may be in the top ten but do you know how many times I would've been toast if it weren't for you saving my ass? You've got my back, bro."

"But what if that's all I'll ever be? The weaker sibling sidekick..."

"Fine," sighed Alfred, running a hand through his hair. "I'll admit something to ya. As much as I like relying on my physical strength, I guess it really doesn't make a difference if I make stupid decisions. But you're the exact opposite! Yeah, you fight like my grandma and have the competitiveness of a maple leaf, but you're always the one to keep your head and find a solution to whatever problem we have. You're the most level-headed and stop us from doing stupid things! Trust me, if you put a bit of your passion for hockey into titan- slaying, we'll be invincible!"

"Heh..." chuckled Matthew, finally breaking a smile. "I'm not sure about that, but thanks bro. Anyway... I better get going. Good luck with Arthur!" he called over his shoulder as he turned away.

"W-wait!" sputtered Alfred. "You're leaving me alone with him?"

"I thought you said you've got this?" teased Matthew. "Surely a hero can take it?"

"Part of me is glad you're back to your normal self but the other wants to take all your maple syrup and pour it down the drain."

"Haha, we both know you wouldn't dare."

Once Matthew had left, Alfred headed down the corridor in the opposite direction. Turning the corner, he started as he noticed Arthur marching up the hallway in his direction, his eyes narrowing into venomous slits as he caught sight of Alfred.

"Oh, hey Arthur!" called Alfred, with a bright but rather nervous smile. His greeting didn't seem to lighten Arthur's expression as he half walked, half stomped right up to Alfred.

"What's this about you joining the Survey Corps?" he demanded, his glaring eyes burning into Alfred's own.

"Well..." uttered Alfred, avoiding eye contact. "Exactly what it sounds like..."

"Are you insane?!" screeched Arthur, making Alfred subconsciously take a couple of steps back. "What could possibly make you go and get yourself killed like that?!"

"I-"

"No, I heard about all that heroic nonsense you were spouting last night, and it's just plain ridiculous! And you've got Matt to join you too?!"

"No! Well yes, he's joining but I never wanted him to! He knows the risks and it's his deci-"

"I don't care!" snarled Arthur. "You're making a big mistake and I won't allow it!"

At this, Alfred gritted his teeth and reared up to Arthur.

"What is it with you?" he argued. "I've made my decision and there's nothing you can do to change it! I don't know why you act like it but you're not my parent or superior!"

"How dare you sa-"

"In fact, you're not my brother either, we're not even related!" snapped Alfred, causing Arthur to be the one stepping back. With a lurch Alfred caught a flash of pain in the furiously disbelieving eyes of Arthur, but he shook off the feeling of regret that churned in his stomach. "You always think you're right and that you can tell me what to do but you're wrong! So stay out of my way, will you?"

Without a second glance, he pushed past Arthur, who strangely didn't object, and stormed off, leaving the previously infuriated trainee standing in an ominous silence. While Alfred was stalking through the corridors, a shrill cry sounded from one of the open doors in the hallway. Recognising it as Feliciano's, he rushed out to see that nearly the whole courtyard had turned its ears to Ludwig, Kiku and Feliciano. The usually carefree and upbeat Italian was now standing with his head hung, trembling as he tried to stop the tears welling up in his eyes.

"I... I lied to you all this time..." he stammered, stumbling over his words in distress. "I'm not from W-Wall Rose... Lovi and I used to live with G-grandpa Roma in Sh-Shiganshina..."

Gasps of horror escaped the mouths of most of the trainees listening in the courtyard as his hometown was revealed to be the very place the titans had attacked and destroyed five years ago.

"I was with my friend Severin when the... when the titans attacked..."

* * *

"_Woah, your picture's really good!" awed Severin, a young blue-eyed boy with blonde hair, as he gazed at the picture Feliciano had drawn in his little sketchbook._

"_Grazie!" beamed Feliciano. "You're getting better too!"_

"_It's not as good as yours..." replied Severin modestly as he put his drawing down, then looked back to the beautiful landscape in Feliciano's drawing."That place looks really nice, without any ugly walls. I wish I was there!"_

"_Yeah, me too..." sighed Feliciano wistfully, then picked up his friend's drawing, curiously cocking his head as he examined the person in the picture. "And who's that?"_

"_Well..." mumbled Severin, rather embarrassed. "It was supposed to be you..."_

"_Oh, now I see!" grinned Feliciano. "It looks-"_

_He was cut off as a flock of birds perched around the buildings nearby suddenly took off, squawking as if they had all been spooked by the same thing. A few seconds later, Feliciano felt the ground quaking beneath them: a slow, steady pattern of tremors that caused a hustle among panicked villagers at first, but then a tense silence as everyone stood and listened to the strange rumbling in anticipation._

"_What's going on?!" whimpered Feliciano. "Is it an earthquake?"_

"_I- I don't know!" replied Severin uncertainly. "It seems different but it might not be anything to worry a-"_

"_Look! Over there!" came a cry from a crowd of people that had gathered outside their houses, who had now shifted their gaze to stare at the surrounding wall. Doing the same, an icy dread paralysed Feliciano as he saw what everyone was gaping at: what seemed like a giant hand clenched the believably indestructible stone, causing it to crack and crumble under the sheer force exerted on it. The owner of the hand reared it's head- a monstrous, nearly skinless face rose above the towering wall, its menacing eyes scouring across the horrified and disbelieving faces of the people, who suddenly resembled caged, helpless animals._

"_It's a titan!"_

"_But the wall is 50 metres tall!"_

"_What's it doing here?"_

_Cries of confusion and fear echoed through the streets as the titan reared back again. A few seconds later, part of the wall exploded into pieces. Giant boulders of wall material rained down like a meteor shower, destroying houses and crushing civilians. Screams of terror and pain sounded everywhere as the smoke and dust cleared to reveal the wall, which for an entire century guaranteed safety for those behind it, but now had a huge, gaping hole where the gate used to be._

"_Feli, we've gotta get out of here!" urged Severin, grabbing Feliciano's hand and pulling him out of his state of petrification._

_His throat suddenly tight with fear and unable to speak, Feliciano instinctively followed Severin, racing through the streets and chaotic crowds with him as fast as possible._

"_Wait, mum was sick at home!" exclaimed Severin, halting at a road, which led to several destroyed houses. "I've got to make sure she's OK!"_

"_No, wait!" begged Feliciano, grabbing his friend's arm, only to have it snatched back as he began to run down the road, still calling out to Feliciano._

"_I have to find her and dad! Go get help!"_

"_I'm... I'm scared!"_

"_Don't worry, just go and find your family! I'll meet you at the boats!"_

"_P-promise?" sniffed Feliciano, holding out his little finger. With a sigh, Severin took a few steps back, hooking his around Feliciano's as part of the pinky promise they had often done before._

"_Promise." he replied, smiling bravely despite his shaking voice. "I promise I'll come back!"_

* * *

"I ran as fast as I could and got a soldier to find and help him, then I found Lovi and Grandpa Roma, who took us to the boats outside Shiganshina."

"What... what about Severin?" whispered Ludwig, chipping at the silence that had fallen on the courtyard.

"... He... he didn't come back. No matter how much I waited and searched for him and his family at the boats and at Wall Rose... I never found him." Ludwig shuddered as he tried to imagine what losing a friend to such a terrible fate must have been like for Feliciano, and how he had managed to hide the trauma of that day behind a mask of blissful carelessness. "Afterwards, Grandpa Roma was sent on the mission to regain Wall Maria and he didn't... he didn't come back either. Lovi and I joined the military to try and get a better life in the interior."

"Feliciano... I'm sorry..."

"W-when we boarded the ship, the titans had already entered the town... I saw how they... how they picked people up and...and..." Unable to finish his sentence, Feliciano began shaking again, yet flinched away when Ludwig tried to lay a hand on his shoulder. "I don't want you to see the same thing, I don't want any of you to ever have to face a titan! All they do is destroy and there's nothing we can do about it... please... please don't join the Survey Corps! Don't!"

With that, the young trainee fled the courtyard, tears streaming down his face.

"Feliciano!" called Ludwig, then rushed out as well after a moment of bewilderment, leaving the rest of the courtyard in a grim silence.

"What's going on here?" Lovino's agitated voice sounded from the other side of the courtyard as he entered, flanked by Antonio. "What's wrong with Feliciano? And what are you all here for? I bet this is all potato- bastard's fault, I know it!"

"Lovino." uttered Kiku calmly. The hot- headed trainee silenced, but the tint of sympathy and sadness in Kiku's voice gave rise to a sense of worry within him. "Feliciano, he... he told us about what happened on the day Wall Maria was lost. About what happened to Severin and your grandfather..."

"He told you... that idiot..." grumbled Lovino, though the observant Kiku noticed his clenched fists tremble slightly.

"I'm sorry if I-"

"No, no it's fine." It was Antonio who replied. "They stayed with us after Wall Maria fell, and I remember it took a long time for Feli to recover... well, as much as you can recover from something like that, so it's best we don't bring it up again around him."

By now, the courtyard had mostly emptied. Alfred still stood near the door, deep in thought about what he had just heard. As he turned to leave, he noticed Arthur standing by the doorway, glaring at him bitterly.

"You see?" he motioned towards Lovino and the others. "You heard what Feliciano said- _that's _what awaits you if you join the Survey Corps. You're just throwing your life away."

* * *

**[A/N] Sorry if this chapter seems a bit rushed I just wanted to get it done XD Stay tuned!**


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